Forensic Science Degree Programs in Florida

Updated September 22, 2026

Forensic science technician and detective are separate Florida careers with different requirements. Florida’s crime labs, including FDLE, generally require at least a bachelor’s degree for forensic technologist and analyst roles, with coursework that varies by discipline. Detective work runs through Florida’s separate CJSTC officer-certification process, not a forensic science degree. Confirm program details directly with schools before enrolling.

There are dozens of career paths inside criminal justice, and forensic science covers only part of them. If you’re weighing a forensic science degree in Florida, here’s what the state’s crime labs actually require, how detective work fits in as a separate career track, and where Florida schools stand on this kind of program.

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What a Forensic Science Career in Florida Actually Requires

Forensic science in Florida usually means one of two distinct jobs: processing physical evidence as a lab technologist or analyst, or investigating the crime itself as a sworn law enforcement officer. These aren’t two doors into the same career. Florida’s crime laboratories, run primarily through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), set their own education requirements for laboratory positions, and those requirements are typically discipline-specific rather than a single blanket standard.

Degree Requirements for Florida Crime Lab Positions

FDLE’s forensic laboratory positions generally require at least a bachelor’s degree, and the specific coursework depends on the discipline. A Forensic Technologist role expects a bachelor’s as the baseline. A Crime Laboratory Analyst position gets more discipline-specific: FDLE’s Biology/DNA section, for example, requires a bachelor’s degree or higher in biology, chemistry, or forensic science, plus coursework in areas like genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and statistics.

Whether a certificate or associate’s degree qualifies you for a particular forensic lab job depends on the specific position and employer. Neither substitutes for FDLE’s bachelor’s-level requirement in laboratory technologist and analyst roles.

Advanced Degrees in Forensic Science

A master’s degree isn’t a universal requirement for supervisory forensic lab work, and it varies by discipline and employer. Some roles do call for it: FDLE’s Biology/DNA Technical Leader position, for example, has master’s-level education requirements. That’s specific to that discipline and role, not a rule that applies across every supervisory forensic job.

Schools with Security-Science-and-Technology Programs in Florida

Nineteen Florida institutions appear in federal education data under Security Science and Technology, the CIP family that includes forensic science, per U.S. Department of Education records. That category is broader than forensic science alone. It also covers programs in general security, homeland security, and digital forensics, so a school’s appearance in this list doesn’t confirm it teaches forensic science specifically. Confirm each school’s actual program and current coursework directly with the school before applying.

Institution	City	Control	Credential Levels Offered
Broward College	Fort Lauderdale	Public	Undergraduate Certificate
Eastern Florida State College	Melbourne	Public	Associate’s
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach	Daytona Beach	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Florida Gulf Coast University	Fort Myers	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Florida Institute of Technology	Melbourne	Private nonprofit	Master’s
Florida International University	Miami	Public	Master’s
Florida SouthWestern State College	Fort Myers	Public	Associate’s, Undergraduate Certificate
Florida State University	Tallahassee	Public	Bachelor’s
Hillsborough Community College	Tampa	Public	Undergraduate Certificate
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale	Fort Lauderdale	Private nonprofit	Associate’s, Bachelor’s
Lynn University	Boca Raton	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
Miami Dade College	Miami	Public	Associate’s, Undergraduate Certificate
Palm Beach State College	Lake Worth	Public	Associate’s, Undergraduate Certificate
Pensacola State College	Pensacola	Public	Associate’s, Undergraduate Certificate
Saint Leo University	Saint Leo	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s, Master’s
Southern Technical College	Fort Myers	Private for-profit	Bachelor’s
St Petersburg College	St. Petersburg	Public	Associate’s, Undergraduate Certificate
The University of Tampa	Tampa	Private nonprofit	Bachelor’s
University of Central Florida	Orlando	Public	Bachelor’s, Master’s

School and program data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, institution file May 2025 and field-of-study file April 2025. Data accessed September 2026. Program offerings can change between the Scorecard’s snapshot and today, so confirm current enrollment, format, and admission requirements directly with any school before applying.

Working as a Forensic Science Technician in Florida

With a bachelor’s degree that meets your target lab’s coursework requirements, a forensic science technician is the entry point into Florida crime lab work. You’ll process physical evidence and get results back to detectives and prosecutors. As of May 2025 BLS state OEWS data, Florida forensic science technicians earn a median of $64,140 a year, a state-specific figure distinct from the national median for the same period. Florida’s own job-growth projections call for a 20.8% increase in these jobs between 2024 and 2034.

Becoming a Detective in Florida

Detective work in Florida runs through a completely separate pathway from a forensic science degree: state law enforcement officer certification. The Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC), administered through FDLE, sets the requirements. Generally, you’ll need to meet the state’s statutory qualifications, complete a Commission-approved Basic Recruit Training Program (or qualify for an exemption), pass the State Officer Certification Examination (SOCE), get hired by a Florida criminal justice agency, and complete the certification process.

Before basic recruit training, most law enforcement candidates take the Basic Abilities Test (BAT/CJBAT). If you already hold an accredited associate’s degree or higher, or you’re a qualifying veteran, you’re exempt from the law enforcement BAT, though that exemption doesn’t apply to corrections candidates. CJSTC certifies law enforcement, corrections, and correctional probation officers as three separate disciplines, each with its own requirements. Detective is a promotion or assignment made within an agency after certification, and the specifics vary by department.

As of May 2025 BLS state OEWS data, Florida detectives and criminal investigators earn a median of $77,060 a year. That’s an occupation-wide figure covering the whole role, not specifically people who entered with a forensic science degree. Florida’s growth projections put this role at 5.6% between 2024 and 2034.

Medical Examiners in Florida

Florida doesn’t run a general county-coroner system. Instead, the state operates under a district medical examiner system: 25 medical examiner districts, each with a Chief Medical Examiner appointed by the governor. A Chief Medical Examiner is a licensed physician trained in forensic pathology who investigates deaths that are sudden, unexpected, violent, or otherwise fall under the state’s statutory jurisdiction. It’s a distinct medical career path with its own licensing requirements, not a role you reach through a forensic science degree. BLS doesn’t publish a separate wage figure for this position, so this page won’t attach one.

May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Forensic Science Technicians and Detectives and Criminal Investigators. Long-term (2024-34) job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect state-level data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What degree do I need to work in forensic science in Florida?

Florida’s crime laboratories, including FDLE, generally require at least a bachelor’s degree for forensic technologist and analyst positions. The exact coursework depends on the discipline: FDLE’s Biology/DNA section, for example, requires specific coursework in genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and statistics on top of the bachelor’s degree itself.

How much do forensic science technicians make in Florida?

As of May 2025 BLS state OEWS data, Florida forensic science technicians earn a median of $64,140 a year, with the job market projected to grow 20.8% between 2024 and 2034 according to Florida’s state projections. That’s a state-specific figure, not the national median.

Is forensic science the same as being a detective?

No. A forensic science technician processes physical evidence inside a lab, and that job runs through FDLE’s education requirements. A detective is a sworn law enforcement officer who investigates the case itself, and that role runs through Florida’s separate CJSTC certification process. They’re different careers with different qualification pathways.

Do Florida schools actually offer forensic science degrees?

Federal education data groups forensic science under the broader Security Science and Technology field of study, and 19 Florida institutions appear in that category at some credential level. That category also includes general security, homeland security, and digital forensics programs, so appearing on this list doesn’t confirm a school teaches forensic science specifically. Confirm the actual coursework with each school directly.

Key Takeaways

Forensic science technician and detective are separate careers – a forensic science degree prepares you for lab work, not sworn law enforcement.
Bachelor’s is the floor for Florida crime lab work – FDLE’s forensic laboratory positions generally require at least a bachelor’s, with coursework that varies by discipline.
Detective runs through Florida’s CJSTC certification process – not a forensic science degree, and not a fixed degree-plus-patrol formula.
19 Florida schools appear in the broader Security Science and Technology data – confirm actual forensic science coursework directly with each school.

Not sure whether the lab track or law enforcement track fits you better? Talk to the FDLE-recognized programs above about their specific admission and coursework requirements, and compare that against Florida’s CJSTC certification path before you commit to either direction.

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Want the bigger picture? Read the full guide to Compare Forensic Scientist Schools & Training Programs.